Individual mausoleum



Oct. 4, 1932. EE ROY E. STEPHENS 1,880,335

INDIVIDUAL MAUSOLEUM Filed sept. 5, 1931 The ledger plate 3 which iscast in one piece from concrete, rests upon the upper edges of the walls5 and 6, and is reinforced by longitudinal rods 12 and transverse rods13.

The space below the lid 2 constitutes a casket chamber, and the spacebetween the lid 2 and ledger plate 3 constitutesaninsulating ohamber,theformer being designated 14 and the latter 15. The box 1 is adapted to beembedded in the ground with the ledger plate 3 at the surface of theground; The

vault as it is thus far described is of wellknown construction. n

` In accordance with my invention, the walls 5 and 6 are provided intheir upper edges with a continuous groove 16 for the receptionV of anelastic sealing material 17 and the ledger plate `l3 is providedwith acontinuous metal 4member 18 which has a portion embedded in the ledgerplate and the remaining portion of which extends downwardly from thelower Yside of the ledger Iplate and is embedded inthe sealing material.The lower portion of the member 18, which portion constitutes a sealingflange,has a thickness less than the width of the groove 16 and jhas adepth-less than that ofthe groove to the 'end that the sealing material17 may surround the sealing flange. As the box 1 is embedded in theground, yand as the ledgerplate 3 is located at the surface of theground these parts are subjected to dilferent temperatures in allseasons, and will as the result expand or contract in such manner as tocause the walls 5 and 6 and theledger plate 3 to move relatively. Suchrelative movement of the ywalls 5 and 6 and the ledger plate 3 willcause the sealing iange 18 to subject the sealing material 17 to lateralstrain, and this material which may consist principally or solely ofasphaltum, tar, pitch or the like possesses suflicientelasticity toyield readily under any lateral strain that may be placed thereon by thesealing flange. Y

This yielding characteristic of the sealing material 17 will prevent itfrom cracking. In view thereof, and as the sealing material 17completely surrounds the sealing flange 18,. an air and waterproof andnondestructiblerseal is provided between the walls 5 and 6 and theledger plate 3. The sealing material 17 extends over the upper edges ofthe walls 5 and 6, and the ledger plate 3 rests thereon. The ledgerplate 3 is providedrin its lower side with a continuous groove 19 ofsemi-circular formation in cross section, and the ywalls 5 and 6 areprovided in their upper edges with a continuous groove 20 of similarcross sectional formation. The grooves 19 and 20 are locatedoutwardlybeyond the groove 16 and sealing fiange 18, and receiveportions of the sealing material 17. As the ledger plate 3 rests uponthe sealing material 17, that portion of the vsealing material locatedin the groove, 16 is held under pressure in contact with the sides andlower edge of the sealing liange 18. Those portions of the sealingmaterial 17 located in the grooves 19 and 20 hold the sealing materialagainst lateral displacement.

l plate 3 to the box 1 the lower hooked ends 23 of the anchor rods 21enter the recesses 22 andthe seal 10, to the end that a strongconnection will be established between the anchor i rods and the box. Y

The ledger plate 3 has one end .portion thereof provided with a fiatupper surface, as shown at 211, for the reception of a marker 25 whichmay be made of concrete, granite or the like. The marker 25 has itsupper or inscription bearing surface-26. inclined, and it is not madeintegral with the ledger plate 3 in order that it may be arrangedthereon with its inscription bearing surface facing either end of thevault. ',After it is arranged in the ledger plate :3 the marker 25 isanchored thereto in any suitable manner. When the `ledger plate 3 andthe marker 25 are not made ofgranite they may be provided with aterrazzo nish. v Y

In practice, after thebox 1 has been embedded in the ground, and afterthe lid 2 has been sealed in place, the sealing material 17 f;-

will be applied in the grooves 16 and'20 and to the` upper edges of thewalls 5 and 6, and thereafter the'ledger Vplate 3 will be positionedupon the box. Duringthe application of the ledger plate 3 to the box 1,the sealing flanges 118 enter theV groove 16 and sealing material 17',and the anchor rods 21 engage in the seal 10. As the sealing material 17surrounds the sealingL flangel 18 and is held by the ledger plate 3 incontact therewith under pressure, as the sealing material extends intothe grooves 19'and 20 of the ledger plate and walls 5; and 6, and as thesealing material is elastic, an air and waterproof andnon-destructibleseal is established between the ledger plate and 4boxwalls. As'the anchor rods 21v engage the seal 10 during the applicationof the ledger plate 3 to the base I, they function to automaticallysecure and h anchorthe ledger plate to the box on the 4mere applicationof the former to the latter. As the marker 25 notV formedintegrally'with the ledger plate 3, theledger plate lmaybe made ofuniform thicknessY andjthus avoid .13o

the strain which would result if the thickness of the ledger platevaried.

The ledger plate 3 is provided in its lower side with shoulders 27 whichcontact with 5 the inner surfaces of the boX walls 5 and 6 and which dueto their contact therewith brace the box walls against frost influencefrom the dirt outside of the boX. The shoulders also aid to hold theelastic sealing material 17 in place. y

As a portion of the seal l0 is located in the recesses 22 of the boxwalls 5 and 6, the seal is so materially strengthened as to enable ittowithstand the added strain placed thereon by embedding the anchor bars21 therein. As the seal between the box l and ledger plate 3 is air andwaterproof, and as it will not crack or become damaged under any strainplaced thereon, the destruction of the function of 9.0 the insulatingchamber l5 and the displacement of the ledger plate is positivelyavoided.

While I have described the principle of the invention, together with thestructure which I now consider the preferred embodi- 25 ment thereof, itis to he understood that the structure shown is merely illustrative andthat such changes may be made, when desired, as fall within the scope ofthe invention as claimed.

3@ What is claimed is An individual mausoleum comprising a box havingthe inner surfaces of its upright walls provided with recesses andshoulders immediately below the recesses, a lid resting upon theshoulders, sealing material contacting with the lid and inserted in saidrecesses, a ledger plate resting upon said walls, and anchoring rodsembedded in the ledger plate andextending downwardly therefrom, the

4e lower ends of the anchoring rods being provided with hooks embeddedin said sealingV material within said recesses.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

LE ROY C. STEPHENS.

